Don’t miss the big Labor Day
program of fun-for-everyone at
Firestone Field starting at 4 p. m.,
on September 6.
Tir«$4oite
GASTONIA
School clays and added hazards
resulting from school traffic—
pedestrian and otherwise—are
nearly here again. Read the safetj
rules prescribed by the local police
department in this connection on
page 2.
VOLUME III
GASTONIA, N. C., AUGUST 25, 1954
NO. 14
Tire Cord Expansion Program Nears Production Stage
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THE NEW CORD WEAVING addition is shown above in a composite photograph taken from the
Warehouse roof. A total of 12,500 square feet space was added to the original basement level Cord
Weaving Room. At top left is shown a portion of the 32 twisters which have added on the third floor
Mill, and at top right is an inside view of ths new Weaving Room showing some of the added
looms ready for operation.
Firestone Building Corporal
Missile Plant In Los Angeles
Increased production of the Corporal, the Army’s most advanced
^eapon in the guided missile field, was assured on July 28 by Harvey
Firestone, Jr., Chairman of the Firestone Company, following
^^ispection of the firm’s new factory under construction at Los Angeles.
^ The new $2,000,000 plant is lo-*^ ~~~
adjacent to the rubber com-
main tire plant. It contains
0>000 square feet of floor space
^nd -will augment present missile
^^ufacturing facilities.
^r. Firestone stated that the ex-
nsion program is one more sig-
icant step in the continuing
J^owth and progress of Los An-
^ur nation’s guided missile pro-
is
an important undertak
ing,” Mr. Firestone stated, “vital
to the defense of the country. We
are glad to be a part of it by de
voting our scientific and manufac
turing facilities to the program.”
Mr. Firestone identified the Cor
poral as an electronically directed
missile capable of striking select
ed targets deep in enemy areas.
The Corporal is classified as a
(Continued on Page 4)
ADDITION—This artist’s drawing shows the $2,000,000
f Firestone plant in Los Angeles which will house
T'he j. for production of the Army’s Corporal guided missile.
^ b’^ilding will increase the manufacturing floor space area of
s Los Angeles plant to nearly two million square feet.
Company Chairman
Sees Stability In '54
For Business World
FOLLOWING his inspection of
Firestone’s new Los Angeles plant
for production of the Corporal
Guided Missile, Harvey S. Fire
stone, Jr., commented on business
in general at a press conference.
“Fears of any major decline in
business have largely disappeared,”
Mr. Firestone declared, “business,
it appears, has about completed
the economic readjustment through
which it has been going, and the
outlook for the remainder of 1954
is for stable business conditions.
“The most encouraging develop
ments of the last few months have
been the maintenance of high
levels of personal income, con
sumer spending and construction
activities of all kinds. In most
cases these categories have been
maintained at equal to or slightly
above the high levels of last year.
“The unbalanced inventory situ
ation that was the cause of so
much misgiving early this year is
rapidly being corrected. Most of
the industries that were in dif
ficulties on this score have either
reduced excessive inventories or
are in the process of doing so.
“Perhaps the most favorable
factor in the general business pic
ture at the moment is the rebirth
of that intangible but very im
portant element, confidence, that is
permeating the business world.
(Continued on Page 2)
A PROGRAM OF EXPANSION in tire cord production which was
undertaken last spring is rapidly nearing completion and should be in
operation by early fall, according to an announcement by General
Manager Harold Mercer. The expansion program involved the building
of a 12,500 square-foot single story addition to the basement level
weave shed, and an increase in tire cord looms (19), twisters (32), and
respoolers (1).
As a part of the over-all expan-O-
sion, a fuel conversion from coal
to gas was completed several
months ago. It was necessary to
remove the coal chute and connect
ing railroad siding to make room
for the weave shed addition. Oil
tanks and boiler oil firing equip
ment were also added to be kept in
readiness on a standby basis.
The weave shed addition is mod
ern in all respects, having controll
ed atmospheric conditions and
lighting. It is windowless, except
for ventilators. Floors of the new
section are maple and will be
matched soon by similar new
flooring in the original weave shed.
Ceramic tile locker and rest room
facilities have been provided.
The added twisters have been
placed on the third floor of Main
Mill in a section that has been re
floored in maple.
A substantial increase in both
rayon and nylon tire cord produc
tion will be realized once the added
twisters and looms are in opera
tion, There will also be a corre
sponding increase in plant em
ployee enrollment, according to
Mr. Mercer.
Driver Course For
Local Adults Starts
August 31 At Akers
The North Carolina Department
of Motor Vehicles in cooperation
with State College and the State
Department of Public Instruction
will conduct a 20-hour Adult
Driver Education course in Gas
tonia starting August 31.
The course—available to indus
try, civic clubs, churches—is being
sponsored here by Akers Motor
Lines, and twice-u-week classes
will be held in that company’s
drivers room on Tuesday aiul
Thursday nights for five weeks.
Among the approximate (50
local individuals taking the course
are L. B. McAbee, 0. K. Forrester,
and Tommy Grant from Firestone
Textiles. Following the completion
of the course which is to be taught
by a N. C. State College approved
instructor, all participants will be
awarded certificates from State’s
Extension Division.
Galligan’s Team 3 Places 1st
In Supervisory Safety Contest
THE first Firestone Textiles Supervisory Safety Contest has been
concluded with top honors going to Superintendent Francis Galligan’s
Team 3. Four teams of supervisors competed in the (5-month-long
contest which started January 1.
Runner-up in the contest was'’
Team 4 captained by W. A. Rhyne,
assistant to the superintendent.
Team 1 with General Superinten
dent Nelson Kessell as captain was
third; Team 2 captained by Clyde
Moss, assistant to the superinten
dent, was fourth.
Scoring in the contest was based
on an arbitrary schedule of points
ranging from 1,000 for completing
a calendar month without a lost
time accident to 10 points for each
personal contact with employees
in connection with safety. Team 3
won with a total score of 95,610
points.
Safety Director L. B, McAbee
was very pleased with the outcome
of the contest. “Competition is al
ways a good safety stimulant,”
says he, “and this contest was no
exception.”
Participating with Mr. Galligan
on the winning team were: S. L.
Owens, A. A. Gaddis, Carl Rape,
Coy Bradshaw, B. D. Bagwell, W.
R. Turner, Floyd Kelly, J. H.
Brooks, V. B. Lovingood, Hugh
Wright, A. 0. Ammons, and Lu
ther Foy.
The winners in this contest as
well as the suggestioneer of the
year ending June 30, 1954, will be
recognized at a function to be
announced later.
Departmental representation by
teams during the contest was as
follows: Team 1—Ply and Cable
Twisting, Supply Room; Team 2—
Cord Weaving, Plastic Dip, Shop,
Quality Control; Team 3—Card
ing, Sales Twisting, Syc. Weaving,
Cloth Room, Refreshment; and
Team 4—S p i “n n i n g. Spooling,
Winding, Warehouse.
"Yov had fJeaty of time to recognize I
wo« waving my appticotion card to join
payroll tavingsf^